Taking the Lead: The Lubavitcher Rebbe

Rabbi Sacks: It was the summer of 1968, 770 Eastern Parkway. I got to see the Rebbe in a meeting that changed my life. I asked the Rebbe my questions, which were the questions of a young sophomore student.

And the Rebbe gave me answers. 

He got through them quite rapidly, as if he really wanted to get to the point at which my questions ended and his questions began. And that was the extraordinary moment when he suddenly did a role reversal.

How many Jewish students were there at Cambridge? How many came along to the Jewish Society? We estimated in those days there were about 1,000 Jewish students. About 100 came to the Jewish Society, so we were losing 90% of our Jewish students. 

And the Rebbe started saying, “And what are you doing about it?”

And I really didn't expect this because I never saw myself as a leader or somebody involved in, as it were, reaching out.

And I suddenly realised the Rebbe was challenging me to go and lead. Instead of complaining about things in Jewish life, to do something to make Jewish life better. 

The Lubavitcher Rebbe (Yiddish): If you are made aware that you can strengthen Jewish life, whether it’s in the realm of teaching Torah, or helping Jews perform its commandments, or even just helping them in ordinary matters, the very fact that you were made to know about the need is proof enough that it is an issue and a mission you must address.

Rabbi Sacks: A year or so later, I graduated as a student. And that meeting was still with me. And so, instead of going straight into a career, I went off to Kfar Chabad to learn in the Lubavitch Yeshiva there.

Just before going out there, I just got engaged. And I realised that if I stay in this place for a very long time, I'm going to become a completely different person, which was okay by me, but it wasn't fair on the lady that I got engaged to. And so, after we'd got married and I'd had a career teaching secular philosophy, it still wouldn't let me sleep at night.

That meeting and the content of that meeting stayed with me and haunted me from time to time. 

The Rebbe: This is the call of the hour. It is what our time needs and demands. “One who saves a single Jewish soul is considered to have saved an entire world.”

I stopped teaching philosophy and studied for Semicha. 

And I went to see the Rebbe. I felt the time had come for the next big moment in my life.

What do I do? My choices were, should I become an academic, should I become an economist, or should I become a lawyer? 

And he said, no to being an academic, no to being an economist, no to being a lawyer. He said, “Your job is to teach rabbis.”

The Rebbe: Some rabbis are more expert in the laws of what is forbidden and permitted. Other rabbis specialize in monetary law. Similarly, there are rabbis whose main expertise lies in saving Jewish souls, through teaching about the Torah and its precepts, and Judaism in general. And bringing Godliness into all areas of life.

This requires a nuanced approach, combining a gentle touch with steadfast commitment, among ways to promote Judaism.

Rabbi Sacks: He said, “That's your job. You have to go to Jews College, you have to train rabbis.” And because they will have to learn from you not just what you need to learn to be a rabbi but also how to do things like give sermons. Essentially he sent me the task of becoming a congregational rabbi and at the same time teaching congregational rabbis for semicha.

Now, when I came back to Anglo-Jewry of course I immediately discovered that such a thing was not possible in Anglo-Jewry. If you were a congregational rabbi, you could not take even one hour of paid employment outside of being your congregational rabbi. I went back and told my Rav who was the Head of Jews College, Rabbi Nachum Rabinovitch.

Rabbi Rabinovitch was anything but a Lubavitcher Chassid. But as soon as he heard that he said, “If the Rebbe said it, that's what you have to do.”

He picked up the phone to the Chief Rabbi, Lord Jakobovits, and told him the story and said, “If it's against the rules of the United Synagogue, you're just going to have to change the rules of the United Synagogue!”

Rabbi Jacobovits heard that from him, agreed, phoned up the President of the United Synagogue, told him we're going to have to change the rules of the United Synagogue and it was done. 

The Rebbe: Those active for the sake of the community must know that they are fulfilling the task of “occupying themselves with communal affairs, faithfully.” In addition to the simple meaning, that they do so faithfully and without any ulterior motives, they do so “with faith.”

Why do they serve the community?

Because they have faith in God.

And because they trust it was God who placed them in a situation where they can help the community, it gives them enough cause and ability to do so.

Rabbi Sacks: In 1990, I was a candidate to be Chief Rabbi in Britain and the Commonwealth. 

I was very unsure. I mean, that's a big job for somebody who did not initially plan to be a rabbi. I felt also it was a family decision. What did Elaine, my wife, feel about it? It's big public exposure.

So I said to Elaine, “Do I have your permission to ask the Rebbe?” 

Because when you ask the Rebbe, you do what he says. This is not just advice. There is a man who really understands the global picture.

And when he tells you to do something, you have to do it. 

Elaine said yes. 

And so I wrote to the Rebbe, putting the pros and the cons, the reasons for, the reasons against.

And then I wrote, “Should I, if offered the job, accept it?”

He answered without writing a single word. He had the typographical symbol for reverse word order. And he wrote it around the words, “Should I.”

In other words, his answer was, I should.

Narrator: Last night in London, Jonathan Sacks became the new Chief Rabbi, the figurehead for the whole of Anglo-Jewry, and one of the most influential rabbis in the world. 

Rabbi Sacks: The Rebbe taught me something very important. That the most transformative moments in your life happen when somebody else believes in you more than you believe in yourself.